"Freedom Pack" by Justin Miller
Suggested Retail USD$29.95
Available from your favorite dealer
In a Blink: 6 Out of 10

"Freedom Pack", a new release by Justin Miller, is a rapid "boxing the deck" routine that looks gorgeous but needs some motivation to be worthwhile.

First thing's first: this really does look great. Check out the video and you'll likely do a double take like I did the first time it happened. Okay, I tell a lie: I did three double-takes and watched the video five times. It looked so good I couldn't take my eyes off of it. Miller gets an award for the most hook-inducing video of the year, because, brother, was I hooked.

And I wasn't disappointed in what I got (well, some, actually, but we'll get to that). The add copy is pretty much on the money. This is fast, pretty easy to do, leaves you with a normal deck (and begins with one), and I'm not encumbered with more than one box/deck: all I needed was a box and a deck and I was ready to go. And yes, it works with any card box, though you'll be ruining the case of necessity building it for "Freedom Pack".

While we're on the subject… "Freedom Pack" is being sent with a horrible packing idea. The net result was opening the box and seeing a torn up gimmick. Yes, this was the disappointment I was alluding to. However, it did lead me to make my very first gimmick, which took all of about two minutes without ever getting off my couch. If I can put the thing together that quick, it can be said to be insanely easy to construct.

Miller's to be credited for that: he really did come up with a simple method that looks great. And his teaching style is nice and thorough (though a couple of times I was wishing he were more scripted), leaving you with several ideas and some great version of using his creation, including creating the thing in the first place.

So it's easy to build, easy to use, easy to reset… Is there anything wrong with "Freedom Pack"?

I thought you'd never ask.

Here's the thing this kind of effect always seems to need: motivation. And really there's little motivation here. A deck of cards is spread and back in the case. Yeah, okay, that's pretty shocking, and it will stun some, but to really make this a brain-freezing moment of magic, you'll need to figure out a reason for doing the thing. The first few times , I actually just did it at the end of my set as a "clean up" and it went over big. Find your motivation and this can be a powerhouse.

Next, this thing is not as practical as it sounds. It's a little on the fragile side, and it's something else you need to carry, and angles can be an issue. All of this equates to something you'll probably end up doing for those "special times and special situations".

But if all of that meets with your approval, like it did with mine, "Freedom Pack" can make your day. It's visual as all get-out, comes as a complete shock, and is outright fun to do.

This is one I'd recommend strictly on personal tastes. If the worrisome stuff isn't so worrisome, then this is one slick piece to add to your act.

For most folks, I recommend this one with reservations.

"Freedom Pack" by Justin Miller
In a Blink: 6 Out of 10

Practicality: 5
You're carrying an extra something around, and it's a wee bit fragile, and you're going to have to watch your angles bring it in, though the reset is quick and the set-up simple. All in all, this is practical, but not for all situations and venues.

Workmanship: 1
Due to a terrible idea on how to ship these, mine was beaten up pretty badly. This might be an odd occurrence, but be ready to make your own just in case.

Documentation: 10
Miller does a great job of teaching everything there is to know about his work, from how to make it (easily) to several handlings of it. Big thumbs up here for covering every base twice.

Effect: 10
The shock value here - the double-takes and the stunned silence - is worth the price of admission on this one.

Presentation: 8
Beyond the visuals of this, which are gorgeous, you're going to want to come up with something to give this a rationale. Do that, and you've got something good on your hands.

Shane

Available direct from your favorite dealer. Dealers, please contact Murphy's Magic Supplies, Inc. toll-free at 1-800-853-7403 or visit Murphy's Magic Supplies website.